The present invention generally relates to a system, a method and a container for holding and dispensing a solution. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system, a method and a container for delivering a solution to a patient undergoing peritoneal dialysis as well as draining a peritoneum of the patient.
It is, of course, known to administer solutions to patients. One such procedure that requires delivery of a solution to a patient is for a patient undergoing peritoneal dialysis.
In a known procedure for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), two containers are required to perform the procedure. A first container, or drain bag, is provided along with a length of tubing that is connectable to the peritoneum of a patient for draining the peritoneum. A second container, or solution container, includes a dialysate therein for feeding to a patient. After the peritoneum is drained into the drain bag, the solution bag is connected to the patient. The dialysate is delivered via the tubing from the solution bag to the peritoneum of the patient.
The use of two bags to perform CAPD, however, requires a number of additional steps. For example, prior to delivering the dialysate to the patient, the tubing connected to the solution bag must be primed in order to remove any air from the tubing. In addition, frangibles are often provided or required in the lengths of the tubing or connectors connected to the tubing. Selective fluid communication is initiated by breaking of the frangible thereby allowing dialysate to flow from the solution bag into the peritoneum of the patient.
As is clearly evident from the foregoing, the known procedure is complex in that a number of components and additional steps are often required to perform the procedure. More specifically, at least a solution bag, a drain bag, tubing extending from each of the bags, connectors, at least one frangible, and caps on the connectors are required to perform CAPD using a two bag system.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved system, method and container that overcomes the deficiencies of known systems and procedures for administering solutions and simplifies the known procedures and systems.